Pedal attachment for mechanical instrument-players.



PATENTED OCT. 10, 1905.

C. L. EMMONS. PEDAL ATTACHMENT FOR MECHANICAL INSTRUMENT PLAYERS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.6.1905.'

2 SHBETSSHEET l.

V in V611 tor (3-H 'mes L. EMM o m 3 A ztyo PATENTED OCT. 10, 1905.

C. L. EMMCNS. PEDAL ATTACHMENT FOR MECHANICAL INSTRUMENT PLAYERS.

APPLICATION FILED APR 6.1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES LEVv 1S EMMONS, OF GARVVOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE AEOLIAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK,N. Y., A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

PEDAL ATTACHMENT FOR MECHANICAL INSTRUMENT-PLAYERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 0a. 10, 1905.

Application and April6,1905. Serial No. 264,086.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CnAR ns LEWIS EMMoNs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Garwood, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pedal Attachments for Mechanical Instrument-Players, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanical instrument-players such as are used for operating upon the keyboard of musical instruments, such as pianos, organs, and the like. It provides a device whereby the operator without interfering with his control or management of the blowing-pedals and without requiring the use of his hands may actuate one of the pedalsc. g., the loud or damper lifting pedal of the piano.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a musical instrument and a mechanical instrument-player. Fig. 2 is a partial front view of the mechanical instrumentplayer. Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section through the player, showing the device. Fig. 4 is a partial section through the line44, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similar view through the line 5 5, Fig. 4.

1 designates a musical instrument, shown as an upright piano, and 2 the casing of a mechanical instrument-player provided with a hinged front portion 21, situated midway of its length and at approximately the distance from the player that would bring it opposite the knee of aperformer whose feet were placed upon the blowing-pedals of the instrumentplayer. Mounted for rotation in brackets 22 within the front wall of the casing 2 is a vertical shaft 3, the upper end 31 of which is inclined forward and its lower end 32 bent to form a crank. A lug 33, shown as apin driven through the lower end of the upper portion 31 of the shaft 3, supports a head 41 of a kneelever 4, which in its operative position passes out of the opening in the front wall of the casing 2 and has at its outer or free end a flattened portion 42, adapted to be pressed against by the knee of the player or operator. The head 41 is shown as cut away quadrantly at 43, (see Figs. 4 and 5,) so that the lever 4 may turn idly thereon outwardly to its operative position, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and inwardly to its non-operative position, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, in which case it may be covered and hidden from view by the closing of a door or swinging portion 21. Attached to the crank portion 32 at the lower end of the shaft 3 is a link 5, leading to a bellcrank lever 51, the upper arm of which is pivotally connected' to a bar 52, vertically movable in brackets 23 on the casing 2. On the bar 52 is adjustably mounted, by means of a set-screw 53, a toe or pedal-depressing portion 54, adapted to contact with the tread of a pedal 11 in the musical instrument 1. By means of the set-screw 53 the toe 0r depressing portion 54 may be adjusted to the proper height for different musical instruments.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from an inspection of the drawings. It will be seen that when the swinging portion 21 in the front of the case 2 is opened the knee-lever 4 swings gently outward by gravitation to its operative position, as shown in the drawings, in which position the lugs on the head 41 are engaged with the pin 33 of the shaft 3 ready for operation. The pressure of the knee against the outer end 42 of the lever 4 turns the shaft 3, and by means of connections, including the crank portion 32, link 5, bell-crank lever 51, and bar 52, actuates the depressing portion 54, and thus operates the pedal 11. When the instrument is not in use, the lever 4 is readily turned back to its non-operative position, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, and the swinging portion closed to form a cover therefor.

It is evident that the slight horizontal outward motion of the knee of the operator or player necessary to swing the lever 4 laterally-outward will not in any wise interfere with the players complete control of the blowing-pedals. It is also evident that considerable changes may be made in the form of my device without departing from my invention.

What I claim is- 1. In amechanical player for musical instruments having a casing provided with a hinged front portion, a laterally-swinging knee-lever, and connections leading from said lever for operating a pedal on such musical instrument,

said front portion being constructed and fitted for covering said lever when in such non-operative position.

2. In a mechanical player for musical instr uments, a laterally-swinging knee-lever, and

connections including an approximately vertical shaft leading from said lever for operating a pedal on such musical instrument, said lever being loosely mounted on said shaft for partial idle rotation thereon into and out of operative position.

3. 1n aincchanical player for musical instruments, a laterally-swinging knee-lever, and connections including a shaft forwardly inclined at its upper end leading from said lever for operating a pedal on such musical instrument, said lever being loosely mounted on the upper end of said shaft for partial idle rotation thereon into and out of operative position.

4. In a mechanical player for musical instruments, an operating knee-lever and pedal connections therefrom, the knee-operated arm of which lever projects downward and forward from the instrument when in operative position and is mounted to be swung obliquely backward and upward into a substantially horizontal non-operative position.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES LEWIS EMMONS.

Witnesses:

W. G. MANSFIELD, D. C. Hams. 

